Last Friday (6 June 2014) the children at Ingram Road Primary School in Holbeck came into the afternoon assembly as usual. Miss Millard the Head Teacher addressed the children and staff with certificate announcements and attendance winning figures. After which she reminded the children of other news that involved the school in some important community planning a few months ago.
Wayne Noteman from Unity Housing approached the school through community organiser Dennis Kitchen, both are on the Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan group, to involve the children in naming the new houses being built by Unity and Keepmoat on Brown Lane East.
Wayne Noteman of Unity said:
“I thought it would be a fun task for the pupils to work on. Something that would involve them as part of the development and give them ownership within their community.”
As the ground was being prepared and the foundations were being laid the children took their task seriously and began researching their local area.
Miss Carter, Deputy Head said:
“We all had a great time researching historical figures online and learning about our distinguished heritage.”
Twelve names were put forward including the famous Matthew Murray (1765-1826). Ideas around the Viaduct which can be seen in Holbeck and Marshall Mills a link to the Holbeck Urban Village. Once the names were collated the school submitted all them back to Unity Housing who then put them out to colleauges to choose which one was most popular. When the results were in, Wayne explained that they had to then wait two months for the new name to pass through legal processes by Highways.
Gasps of excitement and cheers were shared when Wayne bearing gift wrapped presents appeared to announce the winner.
And the winning name with 40% of the votes is;
‘Harding Villas’
by Oak Class Yr 4/5
Colonel Thomas Walter Harding (1843-1927) Was an industrialist and civic figure who build extensions to Holbeck’s Tower Works in 1899 and the 1920’s. Between 1898-99 he was Lord Mayor of Leeds and created Freeman of the City of Leeds in 1903 (wikipedia reference)
In second place with 30% of the votes was;
‘Willow House’ In third place with 10% of the votes was Terracotta Towers
The new Harding Villas will look like this below;
The housing development is currently underway building 42 new affordable properties in Holbeck and is due to be completed in December 2014. The class has been invited to attend the opening ceremony on the site of the new houses they have named. Who knows, maybe one of the children may even grow up to live there.
